Shaftless mill roll stand



A. J. CARR SHAFTLESS MILL ROLL STAND Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Nov. 25; 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 4 orsws J. ('flze.

Aug. 11, 1959 A. J. CARR SHAFTLESS MILL ROLL STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1955 W m m m w l I 2,899,145 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 nice 2,899,145 SHAFTLESS MI'LL ROLL STAND Aloysius J. Carr, Knightstown, Ind. Application November 25', 1955, Serial No. 548,852 Claims. (c1. 242'-'58.6)

This invention relates to equipment for handling rolls of paper and the like and is particularly directed to means for rapidly and efficiently unwinding strip material such as paper, metal foil and the like from a roll of the material.

News rint, for example, must be fed at high running s eeds from rolls to the printing presses. Rolls of paper stock of newspaper size commonly weigh up to five tons, yet these rolls must turn at high speeds. Such rolls must start and stop quickly in spite of their large size and inertia. Heretofore, these rolls have been lifted by fork trucks, or block and tackle, to a position above the floor where heavy conical centers may engage the center holes at the ends of the rolls. Such equipment for handling the heavy rolls is costly and is time-consuming. It is quite common to require three men for loading a full roll of newsprint into the unwinding machine.

Still further, rolls which are slightly conical in shape are often encountered. Rolls wound with paper of nonuniform thickness across the strip will wind unevenly and will cause the convolutions to telescope, thus placing a lateral stress on the strip. Such stress may be sufiici'ent to tear the strip.

An object of this invention is improved handling equipment for rolls of sheet stock such as paper, metal foil and the like.

A more specific object of this invention is roll handling equipment requiring a minimum of labor for loading and unloading.

Still another specific object of this invention is roll handling equipment which will unwind sheet stock of uneven thickness, and will prevent telescoping.

The objects of this invention are attained by a pair of cylindrical elongated side-by-side floatrollers upon which the roll to be unwound is carried. Ways parallel to the rollers carry two slidable tail stocks movably along the ways. Dead centers respectively on the stocks are slidahle freely vertically in the stocks toward and away from the rollers. Feelers laterally of the rollers are pivoted for sensing the diameter of the roll being handled on the rollers and are coupled to the dead centers for automatically aligning the dead centers with the center hole of the roll at rest on the rollers.

Other features and objects of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art by referring to one specific embodiment of the invention described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. l is a plan view of one roll-handling machine embodying this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine of Figure l, and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine of Figure 1.

The elongated side-by-side rollers and 12 shown in the drawings are journaled at each end in low-friction bearings 14, 16, 18 and 20. The rollers and their bearings are mounted on a relatively heavy rigid horizontal frame 11. Truck wheels 21 carry the frame in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rollers. The

wheels may, if desired, travel on rails across the ends of skids or processing machines for the heavy rolls to be handled. The spacing between the rollers is just sufficient to insure a relatively stable support for the roll 30 of sheet stock. Such spacing depends in part upon the diameter of the roll to be handled as well as upon the rotational speed at which the roll 30 must turn during unwinding operation.

According to an important feature of this invention, dead centers 31 and 32 are, respectively, carried on stocks 33 and 34 and are axially movable to engage the center holes in the roll. Since the roll 30 is supported at its periphery on rollers 10 and 12, the center of the roll moves downwardly 'as the diameter of the roll decreases. Accordingly, centers 31 and 32 are slidable in vertical ways 35 and 36 in stocks 33 and 34. Preferably, the dead center cones are journaled on low friction bearings for easy rotation and the ways 35 and 36 are lubricated for easy vertical sliding of the centers.

Stocks 33 and 34 are, in the particular example illustrated, comprised of relatively heavy plates disposed ver tically and normal to the rollers 10 and 12. The stocks are guided in their upstanding position along the rollers by Ways 37 and way blocks 38. Conveniently, the dis tance between the stocks, and the centers, is adjusted by the lead screw 40 having right-hand and left-hand threads meshed with follow-nuts 41 and 42. Lead screw 4t) may be turned manually by a crank or by a motor, not shown. Where a motor is used, it should -be coupled to the leadscrew through a slip clutch so that the centers are brought into light contact only with the center holes of the roll. Wheels 21 under the frame of the machine will roll the machine lengthwise of the rollers and into position opposite the skids of a loading clock for the rolls. As the roll passes over one roller 12, the roll drops slightly and centers by gravity between rollers 10 and 12. Instead of lifting the roll to centers 31 and 32, the centers are moved to seek the centering holes of the roll.

According to another important feature of this invention, the dead centers 31 and 32 automatically find the roll center. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, feeler rods or bars and 51 are pivoted on the 'machine and are biased against the side of the roll 30 to sense the diameter of the roll. Peelers 50 and 51 are staked, respectively, in shafts 52 and 53 which are in turn pivoted, respectively, in the guide plates of stock 33 and 34. The abutting ends of shafts 52 and 53 are pivotally joined at '54 as by a dowel pin so that one shaft may (rotate independently of the other. The outer ends of the "shafts are keyed, respectively, to collars 55 and 56 into which are staked carn rods 57 and 58. The collars may be mounted in the plates of the stocks and are slidable on shafts 52 and 53. The cam rods or arms 57 and 58 extend across the vertical ways and underlie the outer ends of the dead centers 31 and 32. Centers 31 and 32 ride by gravity upon the cam rods and may be slid vertically in their ways by movement of the feelers and rotation of the shafts 5-2 and 53. The angular placement of the cam rods 57 and 58 with respect to their connected'fee'l'e'r rods 50 and '51 are such that the centers 31 and 32 will move to the center of a circle tangent to the feeler rods. In operatio'n, the roll 30 drops onto the rollers 10 and 12 pushing feeler rods 50 and '51 outwardly a distance depending upon the diameter of the roll. This movement brings centers 31 and 32 into alignment with the center of the roll. Thereafter, it is merely necessary for the operator to turn the-lead screw 40 until thedead centers come into snug contact with the holes in the center either c111 It will now be perceived that rolls of different diameters may be unwound from the rollers of this invention. The centers 31 and 32 each automatically find the center holes, even though the rolls may be, say, 10 inches and inches in diameter. Note that the peripheral speed of the rolls is always the same, regardless of the roll diameter.

For driving the roll, power is applied in parallel to the rollers and 12.. As shown in the drawing, motor 60 is coupled through worms 61 and 62 and worm wheels 63 and 64, respectively, on the shafts of rollers 10 and 12. The function of motor 60 is to start the relatively heavy roll and to drive the roll at the required speeddictated by the machinery drawing the strip from the roll, or by the machinery feeding the strip to the roll. Preferably, the motor drive for the roll will drive the roll at a speed no faster than the lowest speed with which the strip may be drawn from the roll. Once the roll has attained its optimum speed, the necessary power for continuing rotation of the roll may be supplied by'the strip drawn therefrom. Accordingly, this speed may increase to values greater than the minimum or starting speed in which case the rollers 10 and 12 may over-run the motor 60. It is accordingly contemplated that a one-way clutch be coupled into the motor drive. Such a one-way clutch 65 may be added to the motor shaft. Alternatively, a clutch may be interposed between the gears 63 and 64 and their respective rollers 10 and 12.

According to a still further and important feature of this invention, novel brakes are used for both placing a drag on the roll and for bringing the roll to a sudden stop. It will be perceived that the braking power for adjusting the drag on the roll will vary as the diameter of the roll changes.

According to this invention, brake shoes 70 and 71 with flat friction surfaces engage the end of the roll 30. Brake shoes 70 and 71 reciprocate in the example shown through windows cut in the end plates of stocks 33 and 34. The hydraulic brake cylinder 72 contains oppositely directed pistons and piston rods. The piston rods push against bell cranks 73 and 74, the opposite ends of the bell cranks being loosely pinned to the center of the brake shoes 70 and 71, respectively. High pressure oil lines communieating with the cylinder 72 accurately adjust the pressure with which shoes 70 and 71 bear against the end of roll 30. Now, it will be seen that as the diameter of the roll 30 decreases and the weight thereof reduces, the area of frictional contact with the brake shoes decreases. Thus for any given pressure by the hydraulic brake cylinder, the drag on the roll becomes, a function of the diameter of the roll. The drag on the roll may thus be adjusted to remain uniform throughout the unwinding operation of an entire roll.

The roll handling machine of this invention is further characterized by its ability to handle rolls of sheet stock of uneven thickness. If a considerablelength of the strip of paper or foil wound on the roll is of a different thickness along one side of the strip, one end of the roll becomes larger in diameter than the other end. Since, however, feelers 50 and 51 independently measure the opposite ends of the roll, the dead centers 31 and 32 find the two roll centers of different distances above the rollers 10 and 12. Suificient tension may be designed into the feeler rods 50 and 51 and their associated cam levers 57 and 58 to maintain snug engagement of the feelers on the roll. Slipping or telescoping of the layersof strip on the roll are effectively prevented.

Peripheral speeds between 1000 and 1500 feet per minute have been attained with roll stands of this invention. Bouncing of the roll on the rollers can be minimized by unwinding the web from around and from the underside of one roller as suggested in Fig. 2.

The roll handling machine of this invention is easy to load and unload by a single operator, places a uniform drag on the roll being unwound and effectively prevents telescoping of uneven stock.

While the principles of the invention have been described in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination in a roll-handling machine, a pair of parallel side-by-side cylindrical rollers for receiving and rotatably supporting a roll of sheet stock to be unwound, opposed and aligned centers at opposite ends, above and on a vertical line midway between said rollers, support means for said centers, said support means being relatively adjustable in spacing lengthwise of said rollers, said centers being freely slidable in said support means, a motor coupled to said rollers, a one-way clutch in the drive between said motor and rollers; pivoted feelers bars arranged to slidably engage and follow the side surface of the roll as the diameter of the roll changes, and mechanical coupling means between each feeler bar and the centers, respectively, so that said centers and feeler bars move as the diameter of the roll changes and the center thereof moves.

2. In combination in a roll handling machine,'a pair of parallel side-by-side cylindrical rollers, stocks at opposite ends of the rollers, horizontal ways slidably carrying said stocks, said ways being parallel to said rollers, a vertical way in each stock, dead centers vertically movable in said vertical ways, means for sensing the diameter of the roll on said rollers and mechanical coupling means between the sensing means and said dead centers so that said dead centers will find the centers of the ends of the roll to be handled.

3. The combination comprising a pair of parallel sideby-side cylindrical rollers for receiving and rotatably supporting a roll of sheet-stock, stocks at opposite ends of said rollers, vertical ways in said stocks, dead centers movable in said ways, a shaft parallel to said rollers, a feeler 311'111 staked into said shaft, and a cam arm staked into said shaft bearing against one of said dead centers to slide the dead centers in said vertical ways.

4. The combination comprising a pair of parallel sideby-side cylindrical rollers for receiving and rotatably supporting a roll of sheet stock to be handled, stocks at opposite ends of said rollers, vertical ways in said stocks, dead centers movable in said Ways, end-to-end shafts parallel to said rollers, feeler arms extending laterally from each shaft to bear against the side of the roll to be handled, and a cam arm extending from each shaft and cooperatively associated with the dead centers, respectively. I

5. A machine for handling cylindrical rolls of sheet stock, said machine comprising elongated side-by-side rollers, ways along said rollers, stocks movable along said ways, dead centers, respectively, on said stocks, feelers pivoted laterally of said rollers to bear against opposite ends of the cylindrical surface of the roll being handled, and mechanical coupling means between each feeler and the dead centers, respectively, so that said centers and feelers move as the diameter of the roll changes and the center thereof moves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Russell Oct. 16, 1951 

